Thursday, May 4, 2000.
We got up early so we'd have plenty of time to find
the Victoria Coach Station for our Frames Rickards tour.
We were on our way by 9 a.m. headed for Hampton Court.
Our guide was Vivian Leon and she was great. She talked just about all the way,
giving us info on London as well as a history of Hampton Court itself.
The Palace was built as a residence not a fortified castle.
When we arrived, Vivian took us through the courtyards.

Here is the basic palace
layout showing areas of interest.

This next group of pictures
were taken in Base Court
which has not changed much since the 1500's .

In the 1690's William and
Mary replaced the east end of Hampton Court
with a Baroque style palace. Clock Court is where the change
from a Tudor palace begins.

It was fascinating seeing
the rear facade (we were not able to on our last visit).
The Palace is Tudor, having been built by Cardinal Wolsey, but William and Mary
decided to modernize it and planned to replace the Tudor Palace with one
designed by Wren. The rear facade looks like an entirely different building.
Mary died before the work could be completed and William abandoned
the project so the Palace is part Tudor and part Wren.
Here are some views of the east front and the east gardens.

The east gardens and beyond.

Vivian then took us to the
Wilderness, an English garden, and pointed out the
Maze, with a warning to us not to get lost. Then she let us on our own.
We went to Henry VIII's State Apartments and the Chapel where he
married Katherine Parr. Then we went through the Tudor Kitchens,
fighting our way through groups of children. The weather was cool and
windy so we treated ourselves to some yummy hot chocolate.
A quick run through the gift shop for post cards, then it was back on the bus.

The last couple pictures are
of the kitchen support buildings,
chimneys of the Palace and a river view of the Palace.